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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26777737">no matter what</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/brunetteandblond/pseuds/brunetteandblond'>brunetteandblond</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>don't let me get away [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Wynonna Earp (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort, But More Moments of Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Domestic Wynsita, Every Chapter is a Snapshot of Domestic Wynsita, F/F, Fluff and Angst, I promise, Minor Character Death, Moments of angst, Post-Canon, Sequel, Snapshots, Wynonna Earp &amp; Nicole Haught Friendship, Wynsita, but overall fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:42:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>18,772</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26777737</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/brunetteandblond/pseuds/brunetteandblond</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>She kissed her gently. “Sometimes I feel like this isn't real.”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“Why, because you’re the girl of my dreams?” </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Wynonna shook her head at Rosita's joke. “That and because you’re… I just… you’ve made me happier than I ever thought I’d ever be. I never thought I’d have this. I never thought I would deserve this. I never thought…”</i>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Or, snapshots into the domestic life of Wynonna and Rosita.</p>
<p>Sequel to "it'd be easier if i hated you"</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nicole Haught &amp; Rachel Valdez (Wynonna Earp TV), Rosita Bustillos &amp; Wynonna Earp, Rosita Bustillos/Wynonna Earp, Waverly Earp &amp; Wynonna Earp, Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, Wynonna Earp &amp; Nicole Haught, Wynonna Earp &amp; Rachel Valdez</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>don't let me get away [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1952131</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>91</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>115</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. part i</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Writing this sequel was a very emotional journey for me, but thank you to all of you who convinced me to keep writing. Y'all know who you are! ;) </p>
<p>Please come talk to me on twitter! I'm @incwynsita and I'd love to chat about wynsita or this series or whatever! </p>
<p>Hey, Nouf! Love ya, babe! </p>
<p>The first chapter takes place between the 9th and 10th parts of the first fic, but all the others take place after!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“What did I do to deserve you? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How did you find me? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I was already halfway gone</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You were a bright light”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One month after Rosita moved in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She could feel Rosita’s eyes all over her and grinned devilishly (this was the reaction she had been hoping for). Ever since the ex-Revenant made a small comment about being attracted to women in suits, Wynonna was trying to find the perfect opportunity to surprise her with wearing one. The WayHaught wedding was the exact event Wynonna was looking for. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>(And surprise Rosita she did.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna came out of their bathroom and Rosita’s jaw physically dropped. The suit was simple, but she knew it was the opened top buttons that were sending her girlfriend over the edge. Wynonna knew the feeling. Rosita was wearing a </span>
  <em>
    <span>tight </span>
  </em>
  <span>red dress (reminding Wynonna why her initial reaction to Rosita was </span>
  <em>
    <span>boobs),</span>
  </em>
  <span> her long hair cascading her bare shoulders and back. They might have fucked right then and there if they weren’t expected outside so soon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a busy few hours. The wedding felt like forever as Waverly and Nicole went through their long vows (and Wynonna kept trying to not cry through them) after Rachel sang when the ceremony began. Nedley was officiating the wedding and he had a surprising amount that he wanted to say as well. Jeremy was sobbing right next to Wynonna and she could see out of the corner of her eye that Doc was crying as well. But most of her attention was on Rosita, who was there in the audience, smiling at the entire ceremony (or maybe she was just smiling at Wynonna).  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Things went quickly after that. Doc and Nedley had set up a giant tent and floor for dancing. It was beautiful. It even made Wynonna think about her own wed— </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nope. She decided a long time ago that she was not a </span>
  <em>
    <span>marriage </span>
  </em>
  <span>kinda gal. She never thought she would get married to anyone, that she would ever be someone’s wife. Nope. That was a terrifying level of commitment. Absolutely terrifying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marriage worked for people like Waverly and Nicole, who stared adoringly into each others’ eyes as they danced. Dammit, Wynonna had to wipe more tears away. She hated how soft she was becoming. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here you are,” Rosita muttered as she approached her, looking her up and down. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I was stuck having another conversation with Nedley’s daughter. She’s mighty chatty.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna raised an eyebrow at her. “She knows you’re mine, right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woah, Ms. Possessive. Save it for the bedroom. If she didn’t know, she’ll know now.” Rosita took her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. Wynonna </span>
  <em>
    <span>hated </span>
  </em>
  <span>dancing like this (slow dancing to sickeningly romantic songs), but in Rosita’s arms, it wasn’t completely terrible. Especially with Rosita’s hands so close to her— </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chrissy’s angry. Whoops.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna looked over to find the brunette fuming. She wasn’t very surprised; Rosita was the hottest woman she had ever met. Even after all these months, she was still drooling over her. (She was fairly certain she’d be drooling over her for the rest of her life). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t even know how she could be looking at me when there’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>you. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Fuck, Wy. I was distracted during the </span>
  <em>
    <span>entire </span>
  </em>
  <span>wedding. I’m lucky that someone recorded it. I barely heard a word of the vows.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A freaking blush rose to Wynonna’s cheeks. “I want to apologize, but I won’t.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You better not. You have no idea what it’s doing for me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna’s heart started going crazy and she felt the heat start to pool in her stomach. (She even considered asking Rosita if she wanted to meet her in the bathroom before remembering it was her sister and her best friend’s wedding.) (She’d have to settle for a nice eye-fuck.) </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I’ll have to wear these more often.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita gaped at her slightly. “You’re killing me, babe. How much longer is this reception going to be?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna sighed. “Knowing them? Hours. And then we have the whole house to ourselves.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita cringed. “You’re forgetting about Rachel.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna definitely </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>forget about the teenager that was also living in their house. She was hoping that she could finally fulfill the promise she made Rosita when she moved in. That she’d bang her on every surface of the homestead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe we can send her to the barn?” Wynonna offered with a shrug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She already doesn’t like me,” Rosita commented and shook her head, “the last thing I want is to send her away so that we can have kitchen sex.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rachel likes you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita narrowed her eyes at her. “Don’t lie to me. We both know she doesn’t think I’m good enough for you or whatever.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s just very protective!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She literally told me that I’d never be her step-parent. I’ve tried everything, Wynonna. I try so hard with her.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna snorted. “It’s very sweet. But honestly, she responds better when you’re mean to her. Make fun of her or something. You have to earn her respect. She’s a teenager, Rosie. It doesn’t have to make sense.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita pouted. “Can’t I just buy her affection?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, maybe. Oh my god, look!” Wynonna nodded toward Chrissy again, who was glaring at them with her arms crossed. “I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen her look so angry. And at one point she thought I killed her dad, so.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita smiled at her wickedly before standing up on her toes to kiss her. Wynonna was a little startled (they didn’t kiss in public very often), but almost immediately deepened the kiss. Wynonna pulled Rosita closer, leaving no space in between them. They weren’t even dancing anymore. It was just the two of them standing there, Wynonna’s hands in Rosita’s hair and Rosita holding her waist. Wynonna forgot that there was anybody else around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They only pulled away from their moment when they heard the cacophony of “awes” coming from their friends. They turned to find Waverly, Nicole, and Jeremy gushing at them (Rachel was trying very hard not to join in). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys are </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>cute!” Jeremy squealed and jumped up and down.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna groaned. Ever since Rosita moved in with her, she had to hear her family and friends practically coo at them whenever they ever showed any sort of romantic interest in each other. Wynonna thought that after a few weeks, it would get better. It didn’t. Rosita thought it was funny. Wynonna wanted to hit her friends when it happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are cute, aren’t we?” Rosita said, grinning at all of them in a way that made Wynonna feel a little bit like she was melting. “Though, </span>
  <em>
    <span>cute </span>
  </em>
  <span>probably wouldn’t be the word I’d use. Right, Wynonna? Oh my god, don’t pout. We’re sexy motherfuckers.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That might have been true, but Wynonna wasn’t going to admit that. Not when Waverly’s eyes were all big and Jeremy was staring at her like a puppy dog. It made her feel itchy. Uncomfortable. It was hard enough allowing herself to be vulnerable around Rosita. She didn’t want everyone else to see her being vulnerable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, okay. I’m going to dance with my little sister,” Wynonna declared and pulled away from Rosita so that she could drag her sister away from the big group of people. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waverly looked even more angelic than usual in her dress. She even had a laurel wreath around her head that resembled a halo. Tears re-emerged in Wynonna’s eyes and she didn’t even bother hiding them. Her sister was </span>
  <em>
    <span>married </span>
  </em>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>so happy. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you’re wearing a suit, ‘Nonna.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna snorted and shook her head. “I think </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>should be the one saying that I can’t believe you’re married. Though knowing you and Haught, it was inevitable.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I knew right away that she was going to change my life. The second I saw her, I knew it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s some soulmate shit, dude.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waverly rolled her eyes playfully. “I know. I’m just saying. I didn’t know I was going to marry her, duh, but like, it feels like the most right thing in the world, you know?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna gulped. She definitely didn’t think about Rosita. Rosita’s laugh, her smile, her body, her warmth, her lips, her taste, her love. And she definitely didn’t think about how she felt seeing Rosita on those rocks, realizing that she hadn’t poofed with the rest of the Revenants. And she definitely didn’t think about the nunnery where everything changed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I get it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waverly gasped. “Oh my god, you’re thinking about her!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Psh, no.” Wynonna shook her head rapidly, trying to get her point across to her sister. “No, don’t get excited, dorkus, I’m nowhere close to being that cheesy.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I was the last to know that you were seeing Rosita every night in secret. The least you could do is tell your favorite sister in the world that you think she’s the </span>
  <em>
    <span>one.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna glared at her sister. “I love you, babygirl, but that’s gonna have to be a no-go.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waverly stuck out her bottom lip. “Come </span>
  <em>
    <span>on, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Wynonna! I see the way you look at her! You’ve </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>looked at anyone like that. Like anyone. And maybe that’s because you didn’t let yourself look at anyone like that but—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Waverly?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waverly chuckled nervously. “Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This night is about </span>
  <em>
    <span>you. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Not about me and Rosita.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Waverly sighed sadly, “but I just want you to know that I support the two of you one hundred percent. I know I was kind of surprised in the beginning—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re fine, Waves. Seriously. Don’t worry about it. I would have freaked too if I found out that you were seeing someone behind my back for months. Besides, you got over it quickly. You’re the reason she’s on the Earp Homestead.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waverly nodded. “Nicole did a lot of reassuring, which obviously meant a lot since she wasn’t thrilled with the fact that I kissed Rosita.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna winced, wishing more than anything that she could forget that fact (not that she blamed either of them about what happened). “Yeah, right.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waverly blushed and frowned. “Sorry. It’s nice to see Nicole and Rosita bond.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, they both are dating Earps. So they have a lot in common. Oh shit. Wait. Nicole </span>
  <em>
    <span>married</span>
  </em>
  <span> an Earp. Babygirl, you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>married.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Waverly giggled and shook her head. “It’s crazy, isn’t it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And they call me the crazy one in the family.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haha. It feels like… like all the stars aligned, or something. I know how easily we could have not been together. I just feel…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hella lucky?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waverly nodded. “Hella.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna thought about Rosita and hummed. “I know what you mean.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The younger brunette grinned widely. “Oh my god. We’ll be planning your wedding soon after this.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna vehemently shook her head. “I’m not getting married, cutie.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not?” Waverly scrunched up her forehead and nose like she was genuinely bamboozled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, do I seem like the marrying type?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With Rosita, sure. Don’t look like that. It’s as if you don’t think you’d be a good wife or something.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna narrowed her eyes at her sister before sighing, not wanting to get into this on her sister’s wedding day (not that she ever wanted to talk about this). “I’m so happy for you, babygirl. Seriously. You deserve all of this.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You deserve it, too,” Waverly whispered as the song ended and Wynonna leaned in and kissed her sister’s forehead. “I’m serious, too. You deserve it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna turned around to find Rosita twirling Jeremy around while Nicole and Rachel just laughed and filmed it. Warmth spread through Wynonna’s entire body. She hadn’t told Rosita she loved her, but she never felt like she had to. It felt so unsaid with everything they did. She wasn’t ready to say it out loud, but she was slowly realizing that one day she would be. One day she would tell her she loved her. And maybe, Rosita would tell her she loved her back. Maybe that day, she’d feel like she deserved it. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“Take care of her, Haught-donut.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole smirked and put the last piece of luggage into the truck where Waverly was giddily talking to Rosita and Rachel from the passenger window. “Roger that, Bacon-donut.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna bit her lip. She didn’t know why this was making her so emotional. She knew the entire time that at the end of the reception, Waverly and Nicole would go off on their honeymoon as newlyweds. She was excited to have more room in the homestead for a week, but all of a sudden, she felt strange. Like she didn’t want them to go. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole approached her and seemed to know something was off. Before Wynonna could do or say anything, the redhead had her arms around her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s never been far from home,” Wynonna whispered softly so that no one else could hear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. I’ll keep her safe. Besides,” Nicole pulled away from the hug and her soft smile turned into a grin. “We probably won’t leave the bedroom.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna groaned and punched her best friend lightly on the shoulder. “You’re disgusting.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take care of Rachel. Please don’t give her alcohol.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna saluted her. “Aye aye, Captain.” Truth was, she hadn’t been drinking much herself. Not for a while. Not since she and Rosita really became something. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Love you, Earp.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You too.” She wanted to say the words back, but couldn’t. She still couldn’t. She couldn’t say it to anyone but Waverly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole got into the truck while Rosita and Rachel approached Wynonna, ready to watch the car drive off into the distance. Tears bubbled up in Wynonna’s eyes and Rosita found her hand and intertwined their fingers. (It was almost as if somehow, Rosita just </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew.)</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>They waved like idiots as Nicole and Waverly drove off, allowing the moment to settle in. Simmer. Wynonna’s head found its way on her lover’s shoulder. She didn’t know how much time had passed until they decided to go back inside.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>They spent that night wrapped up in blankets and drinking hot cocoa as they shared stories about the newly wedded couple. It didn’t take long for Rachel to start falling asleep. Wynonna smiled at the sight and helped lug the teenager to her old bedroom. After Rachel was in bed, she stood by at the door, wanting to tell her that she loved her, that she was glad she was here. She opened her mouth to say </span>
  <em>
    <span>something, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but Rachel was already snoring. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita was waiting for her in their bedroom, one of the two rooms they added to the house thanks to the new addition. It was small, but all they really needed was a bed, anyway. She was sitting on their bed in the dim light, her hair slightly disheveled after the day of festivities. Wynonna thought she looked gorgeous (but then again, she always thought she looked gorgeous). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna was wide awake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she approached Rosita, the other woman stood up and started to kiss her. Rosita’s lips were healing. When Wynonna used to kiss other people, she always felt like she was sacrificing parts of herself, like they were taking parts of her with them. With Rosita, it was so different. Every kiss made her feel more whole. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Cherry blossoms. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna slowly unzipped Rosita’s dress. She wanted to savor every moment. She didn’t want to forget a single second of this. She refused to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe I’m going to get you out of the suit.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna laughed into her mouth. “And you said you liked it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita bit Wynonna’s lip, just to mess with her. “Don’t be cheeky. You know I do. But I like your skin more.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna grinned at her. She knew the feeling. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song is "Fistfight" by The Ballroom Thieves</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. part ii</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> “I call out your name, it feels like a song I know so well </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And it whispers and roars like an orchestra </em>
</p><p>
  <em> You call out my name like no one before, it sounds like I </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Am called to a home that I never had”  </em>
</p><p>Five months after Rosita moved in.</p><p> </p><p>Things were going <em> good. </em> After Cleo left Purgatory, all demonic activity calmed down. They still had the occasional baddie to fight, but it wasn’t to a degree where they felt like they were in constant danger anymore. Even Robin came back home after Jeremy finally revealed to them that he sent him out of town to keep him safe (Wynonna understood that one). Wynonna continued to try to settle the tensions between demons and humans with Nicole (who decided to work for Purgatory Fire Department) while she and Rosita took over Shorty’s now that Doc was working at the Glory Hole. </p><p>Everything was going <em> so well</em> that Wynonna finally decided that Alice could come home. </p><p>The announcement of her decision was huge and everyone’s reactions to the news filled her up with love. Waverly immediately began sobbing, Nicole and Rachel started whooping, Jeremy started describing how he was going to spoil the ‘pod’, and Doc just looked at Wynonna with a gentleness she hadn’t seen in almost a year. Doc actually stood up and wrapped his arms around her, holding her in a way he hadn’t in such a long time. The embrace almost made her cry harder. She hated how much she missed him and his support. </p><p>The reaction she cared the most about was Rosita’s. She was fairly silent most of the night, making Wynonna a little worried about where that left them. Rosita always knew about Alice, that Wynonna wanted her home, but Wynonna was still concerned that Rosita didn’t want her as a mom. </p><p>When they finally had a moment alone in their room later that night, Wynonna sat her down and asked her if she wanted to stay with her when Alice returned home. </p><p>Rosita looked at her strangely and grabbed Wynonna’s hand. “Baby, I always knew that you and Alice were a package deal. I moved in here knowing she’d come home. I am here for the both of you. Always. No matter what.” </p><p>Wynonna didn’t know how to form all the right words. She wanted to say so much, but instead, she just thanked her over and over again while Rosita just held her close and whispered sweet nothings into her ear until they both dozed off. </p><hr/><p>It took weeks for the homestead to be baby (more like toddler) ready. Everyone pitched in with baby-proofing the house as Wynonna read a million parenting books (as did Rosita). Alice’s arrival was imminent and the pressure began to dawn on Wynonna. Rosita tried her hardest to keep her from going into self-destruction mode (and they finally confessed their love to each other), but the anxiety started to pile up. </p><p>Alice was coming home in a day and Wynonna felt like she was going to break down. Fall apart. Lose it. </p><p>It started with her spiraling about how much time she missed. Alice was almost three-years-old. She missed three years of her daughter’s life and she hated herself for it. Everyone tried to reassure her that she had made the right decision, but she wasn’t listening. She couldn’t. She was so deep in her head, she didn’t know how to get out. </p><p>She then started going through the list of things she was shit at. Like cooking and cleaning and being emotionally available and taking care of things. The list kept getting longer and longer and longer until she felt like she was unraveling. </p><p>Alice’s room was small, but beautiful. Robin had painted the walls a grayish blue/purple and the room was covered with pictures of the family. There were more stuffed animals in the room than a child could ever need. Wynonna just sat in the middle of the room, trying her hardest not to drink from the bottle in her hands. She hadn’t been drinking in the last couple of months. Every time she had an urge to, Rosita was there to help her get through it. But here she was, holding onto a bottle of whiskey the day before her daughter was coming home. </p><p>(What a fucking disaster.)</p><p>She dug her nails so deep into her palms that they started to bleed. She ignored the blood, her eyes were on the bottle. It was whispering to her. Singing. Begging. She considered the fact that maybe if she opened it, it would satisfy the urge. That it’d be enough. Maybe get a whiff of the smell. It would be enough. It had to be enough. </p><p>“Wynonna.” </p><p>She closed her eyes. She knew that Rosita was at the door, probably staring at her with the worry that had started to appear on her face in the last few days. </p><p>“Baby.” </p><p>She felt the hands on her back and she moved away from them like a feral animal, terrified of her tender touch. She hadn’t been terrified of Rosita’s touch in months. She turned around and found Rosita carefully watching her, giving her space, preparing herself for the worst. </p><p>“I’m s-sorry.” </p><p>Rosita leaned over and picked up the full bottle from the ground and shook her head. “Don’t apologize. Tell me what’s going on.” </p><p>She didn’t want to. She didn’t want to tell her anything. She was ashamed of the shit going on in her head. She knew that she should be feeling happy about her daughter coming home. She didn’t know how to tell her she was just completely terrified. <em> But, </em> Wynonna knew she couldn’t just stay silent about this. She <em> wanted </em>to, but she knew the silence would do no good. She learned that it never did. Not when it came to her relationship with Rosita. </p><p>She chewed her cheek and unclenched her fists, showing Rosita her bloody hands. “I don’t know. I just—something’s wrong with me.” </p><p>“Wynonna, love, nothing is wrong with you, okay? Give me one second. I’m going to get our first aid kit, okay? I’ll be back in one second.” </p><p>Wynonna nodded meekly and watched as her girlfriend left and returned, this time holding a pouch. She sat down so that Rosita could look at her hands. Rosita sat right in front of her, their knees touching, and got a closer look at Wynonna’s hands. They were shaking. </p><p>Rosita gently wiped the blood away and whispered, “tell me how you’re feeling.” </p><p>Wynonna only winced a little as Rosita put the Neosporin on her hands. Talking hurt more than her hands. “I don’t know. I—what if I’m making a mistake? I’m a shitty person. What if I become a shitty mom?” </p><p>“Okay, first of all?” Rosita put bandaids on her girlfriend’s palms before she kissed them. “You are <em> not </em> a shitty person. Shitty things have happened to you and you’ve had to do shitty things, but <em> you </em> are not shitty. Second, all parents make mistakes. Third, babe listen to this one.  <em> Third, </em> there are four other people living in this house with you. You have so much support. You aren’t your mom with an asshole husband raising three kids on your own. Alice will have a good dad and so many aunts and uncles and <em> me, </em>okay? I can’t promise to be fantastic all the time, but all we can do is our best. That’s all we can do.” </p><p>Rosita kissed her palms again as Wynonna tried to listen to her words, tried to ingest them, tried to force them to mean something to her. She wanted to believe her, <em> needed </em>to believe her. Because she couldn’t keep going on like this. </p><p>“What if she’s better off without me?” </p><p>Rosita shook her head and pushed Wynonna’s hair that had fallen into her face behind her ears. “Nobody is better off without you.” </p><p>Wynonna licked the tears that had fallen onto her lips as Rosita rested her forehead against hers. “I just don’t want to fuck this up.” </p><p>“Then you won’t. We won’t fuck this up. We won’t.” </p><p>She sniffled. “We won’t?” </p><p>“We got this, Wy. We got this.” </p><p>Wynonna took a deep breath and exhaled. Again and again. Rosita breathed with her. When they breathed together, they breathed as one. And Wynonna realized, the longer they breathed together, that she was not alone. That with Rosita by her side, she’d never have to be alone. She knew that she could do this. That she was ready to have her daughter home. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song is "Heal Me" by Snow Patrol</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. part iii</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>HI NOUF</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> “You were falling deep when I was coming down </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I didn’t know then of the love I had found </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Now we’re five laps deep, and you are all that I see </em>
</p><p>
  <em> You know I’ll be here till my last day </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Cos it can’t get better, it can’t get better than you”  </em>
</p><p>Five months (and a day) after Rosita moved in.</p><p> </p><p>The day she reunited with Alice was the best day of her life. Her little girl was almost three-years-old, but goddammit, the second Alice was in her arms, it felt like they didn’t spend a second apart. </p><p>Alice was a mirror image of Wynonna. She had dark curls and blue eyes, but more importantly, the nearly three-year-old had <em> spunk. </em>Somehow at her age, she could roll her eyes and smirk and make everyone laugh. Everyone agreed some of it had to do with living with Gus, but no one could deny that she was an Earp. Wynonna Earp’s daughter.</p><p>Alice immediately called Wynonna “Mama” and never left her side. Wynonna quickly learned that Gus told her daughter all about Wynonna and the rest of the crazy family. Alice seemed to understand, though Wynonna didn’t know how, that her mom did what she <em> had </em> to do to keep Alice safe. The fact that the almost three-year-old <em> forgave </em> her and still <em> loved </em>her made Wynonna almost crumble at the spot. </p><p>It didn’t take long for her to bond with everyone else. Doc completely melted when he finally got to hold his little girl. (Jeremy tried to record the touching moment—though they’d find out later the video was completely blurry because Jeremy couldn’t stop moving.) Unsurprisingly, after Alice got to know her dad, she gravitated toward Waverly, who couldn't stop crying from happiness. (Waverly was also incredibly proud to introduce Nicole to Gus and Alice as her <em> wife.) </em> Rachel and Jeremy had the same energy that made Alice <em> very </em>giggly around them. All she seemed to want to do is make them laugh. Nicole and Rosita remained more on the outskirts, watching a little awkwardly, not quite knowing when and how to jump in. </p><p>The living conditions baffled Gus (who had no idea that Wynonna was in a very serious relationship with a <em> woman), </em>but Alice didn’t seem bothered at all. She wasn’t quite sure why her dad wasn’t staying with them and why all these people were living in the same house, but she didn’t mind that they were all in different places if it meant that she got to see them all the time. If it meant that she was completely and undeniably loved. </p><p>The moment Gus left was when it all got real. And Wynonna <em> loved </em>it. She loved every moment of being with her daughter. Every single moment that she got to know her. She kept looking at Rosita, trying to thank her for helping her get to this moment. Rosita smiled at her, full of devotion in her eyes. </p><p>The first night was strange. No one really wanted to go to bed, but Alice’s eyelids were heavy and no one wanted to keep her from sleeping. It was a wordless agreement that Alice was going to sleep in Wynonna’s bed with her and Rosita the first night. Neither mother nor child was ready to be separated for an entire night. </p><p>Alice quickly fell asleep in their bed and Wynonna just stared at her resting daughter with awe. She had thought that was going to fuck everything up immediately, but here she was. Her little girl was in her arms. Sleeping peacefully. </p><p>“She’s beautiful, Wynonna.” </p><p>Wynonna looked up and found Rosita’s eyes glued to hers. “I don’t know if I could have done this, have her here, without you.” </p><p>Rosita rolled her eyes. “Of course you could, estupida.” </p><p>Wynonna laughed at the nickname she hadn’t heard in a <em> long </em>time. “Well, it would have been so much harder without you, so… estupida.” </p><p>They just stared at each other in the dark, not daring to make a sound. Wynonna didn’t know how she had fallen this hard for someone, but she knew there was no turning back. And even if she could, she would never want to. Rosita was the one. The only one. She could never imagine doing this with anyone else. </p><hr/><p>Wynonna was—in every single way possible—exhausted. Alice had been with her for two weeks and she was starting to learn what real motherhood exhaustion was. That, and the fact that she had a cold and was in complete denial. At first, she thought it was just allergies. She had never had allergies before, but she had hoped that maybe she just suddenly had them. But then she started coughing and having chills and she could no longer continue lying to herself. </p><p>“Babe. You need to sleep.” Rosita was rubbing Wynonna’s shoulders as she sat on their bed, trying <em> extremely </em>hard (as Wynonna could tell) not to get frustrated with her. </p><p>Wynonna groaned, glad that Rosita was touching her, but upset that she was focusing so hard on her when she didn’t need help. “I’m fine.” </p><p>“You’re literally so congested that you don’t sound like yourself.”</p><p>Wynonna didn’t want to admit that all of her m’s and p’s sounded like a b. </p><p>“I sound <em> fine. </em>I prob-probably sound great, actually. My voice is very sexy.” </p><p>Rosita rolled her eyes. “Wy, please. If you can’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of Alice. Please. Take a nap, I’ll look after her, alright? She’s napping right now anyway. Just rest, baby.” </p><p>She wanted to pout. But Rosita was being so nice to her, and fuck, she felt like she was about to collapse. Besides, Alice had no alone time with Rosita. With everyone around the whole time, Alice didn’t have the chance to get to know her. And really, she was <em> so fucking tired.  </em></p><p>“Ugh, fine. I’ll sleep. But if she wakes up or if you need me at <em> all, </em>just wake me up. I’m serious.” </p><p>Rosita sighed and shook her head. “Okay, Wynonna. I hear you. Now go to bed.” </p><p>“Mmm.” Wynonna sat back and let Rosita help her get into bed. Every second that passed made Wynonna feel more delirious. She barely knew what she was saying when she was snuggled up in the sheets. “I’ll make it up to you, Rosie, I promise.” </p><p>“You will?” Rosita snorted. </p><p>“Mhmm. I’ll use the strap next time.” Wynonna’s eyes were slowly closing, she couldn’t really help it. </p><p>“Okay, baby. You do that.” </p><p>Wynonna tried to open her eyes one more time so that she could be sincere. “You take such good care of me. You’re… you’re the best girlfriend in the world. You… Rosita, I’m falling asleep.” </p><p>Rosita touched her cheek gently and whispered, “go to sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.” </p><p>“You promise?” </p><p>“I promise.” </p><p>Wynonna nodded and mumbled some other things before she finally let the sleep consume her. </p><hr/><p>She would have liked to wake up gracefully, but instead, she woke up coughing up mucus and jumping up to get water from a sink. She was extremely glad that Rosita hadn’t seen her. She had her head physically in the sink to drink the water. Like a cat. She was sure that if Rachel had seen it happen, she would have recorded it and put it on TikTok. </p><p>When she didn’t feel like she was dying of thirst, she wiped her mouth and headed toward the sound of Rosita’s voice coming from Alice’s room. She leaned against the doorframe and watched with curiosity as Rosita and Alice were playing with legos in the center of the room. </p><p>“Are you kidding, Alice? Your house is way better than mine. I completely forgot about windows.” </p><p>Alice looked up at Rosita and shook her head. “No windows good.” </p><p>Rosita grinned at Wynonna’s little girl. “You think?” </p><p>Alice nodded. “Uh-huh.” </p><p>“Thanks, kid. </p><p>“Rose?” Alice looked at her almost quizzically and Wynonna wanted to get closer so that she could hear better. </p><p>“Yes, chicken?” </p><p>Alice pulled a window from the house she was making and passed it to Rosita as she grinned at her. “For you.” </p><p>Wynonna couldn’t stay in the background any longer. She walked into the room and almost immediately both Rosita and Alice lit up. Wynonna smiled widely. They were her girls and she loved them more than anything. She sat down with them and Rosita took her hand and squeezed it, as if reassuring her that everything was fine. </p><p>“Making houses?” </p><p>“Look, Mama!” Alice jumped up and plopped on her lap, showing her the house she made.</p><p>Wynonna gasped and said, “babygirl, this is the best house I’ve ever seen. Don’t show your daddy. He’ll get jealous over your house building skills.” </p><p>As Alice giggled and returned to her house, Rosita asked if she was feeling better. </p><p>Wynonna hummed gently. “I am. Thanks for forcing me to sleep. How long have I been out?” </p><p>“Four hours,” Rosita answered with a shrug. “I made some soup that I can reheat for you. I thought you’d want something that <em> wasn’t </em>vegan.” </p><p>Wynonna moaned at the thought of hot soup. “Please tell me it’s your chicken and rice soup.” </p><p>Rosita laughed. “You’re one lucky SOB.” </p><p>“What SOB?” Alice asked, her attention still on the house, allowing Wynonna and Rosita to share a look of horror. </p><p>“It’s nothing, ladybug,” Wynonna reassured her as Rosita bit her lip, trying incredibly hard not to laugh. Wynonna let go of Rosita’s hand and smacked her girlfriend’s thigh jokingly. “Your mama’s girlfriend is just being annoying.” </p><p>Rosita just gave her a <em> look </em>and jesus fuck, Wynonna knew for sure that she was the luckiest woman on the entire planet. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song is "Melting into You" by Les Krills</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. part iv</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“Baby, it’s Halloween</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And we can be anything</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Whatever you want</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll be whatever you want” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eight months after Rosita moved in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wynonna, you’re being a </span>
  <em>
    <span>little </span>
  </em>
  <span>overprotective.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna glared at her girlfriend, who was dressed up as fucking Evie from </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Mummy</span>
  </em>
  <span> (she knew she was going to look hot, but she had no idea she was going to look like </span>
  <em>
    <span>this) </span>
  </em>
  <span>and had her hands on her hips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Most parents worry about dicks dressed up in demon masks. Here, there are literal demons.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita just stared at her. “Please don’t take this too much to heart, but you’re being a little ridiculous. Wynonna, you and Nicole can keep her safe. With you out there with her, and Doc and Amon keeping the demons under control, she’s as safe as can be.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna scrunched her nose in distaste. She didn’t like that Rosita was making sense. She wanted to keep pretending like she was the one making the most sense. Theoretically, she knew that it was probably safe for her daughter to trick-or-treat, but a huge part of her was </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrified</span>
  </em>
  <span> and she didn’t know why. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>think I’m making a big deal out of nothing?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita sighed and sat on Wynonna’s lap, putting her arms around her neck. “Yes. Baby, she’s going to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine. </span>
  </em>
  <span>You will be home by 8:30.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“7:30.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s her first Halloween. Let her enjoy it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna stuck out her bottom lip and whined. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Rosita.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I’m not going to fall for that lip.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tilted her head, hoping her sad puppy dog look would work. She knew she wasn’t getting anywhere by convincing her girlfriend of the possible dangers. She hoped she could convince her a different way. With a bit of distraction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will you bite it, then?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita shook her head and asked sarcastically, “I don’t know, have you been a good girl?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Heir knew immediately that Rosita was just messing with her. She knew what Rosita’s real bedroom talk was and this was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>it. She knew her well enough to know Rosita was stuck in serious mode and there was nothing she could do to pull her out of it. Annoyed, she pushed her girlfriend off her lap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you trying to be a logical person right now?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita rolled her eyes and chuckled lightly. “It must be so hard to have a smart girlfriend. You poor baby.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Babe!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her girlfriend cupped her cheeks, closing the space between them. “Wynonna, I love you so so much. I love you more than anything. </span>
  <em>
    <span>But</span>
  </em>
  <span> you are making a big deal out of nothing. It’s all going to be fine, right?” When Wynonna reluctantly nodded, Rosita kissed her nose. “Besides, baby, you’re not even in your costume yet.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are we doing this costume thing?” Wynonna didn’t know why she agreed to it. The last thing she wanted to be was one of those annoying couples. The WayHaught kinda couple. But Rosita </span>
  <em>
    <span>insisted, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and there was no way that she wanted to disappoint her girlfriend. “And why do I have to be Rick?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I said so.” Rosita grabbed the costume that was sitting on the bed. “Here you go. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna shivered in distaste as she looked at the white button-down, khakis, blue scarf, and shoulder holster. She loved Rosita’s look (it was doing </span>
  <em>
    <span>so many </span>
  </em>
  <span>things to her) and roleplay was fine in the bedroom, but wearing this in public? In front of Haught or someone else who could make fun of her for it forever? No thank you. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rosita…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita shook her head rapidly. “No! No backing out! You promised me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promised you because I thought I was going to get sex out of it.” Wynonna thought that maybe she’d get some points for being honest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Rosita just glared at her. “Do you do a lot of things because you’ll get sex out of it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna blinked at her and snorted like that was preposterous. “Psh.. no…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita threw the clothes onto the bed dramatically. “You’re incorrigible.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I don’t know what that means, so it doesn’t hurt me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ex-Revenant put her hands on her hips again and Wynonna knew she was in trouble. “What’s the dealio, here, babe? I don’t want to read into this, but I will if I have to. I would take her out trick-or-treating myself, but I can’t.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna facepalmed. She felt like she was fucking things up. She didn’t know why she was being so weird about the entire situation. This day just stressed her out and she had no idea why. She groaned and sat flopped onto the bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know why I’m being such a dick about all of it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita sighed and laid down onto the bed with her. “Tell me what you’re thinking about. What’s going on in that beautiful mind of yours?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was hard for Wynonna to voice all the things she was feeling. “I don’t know. I just… I want to keep her safe. I’m…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anxious?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna nodded rapidly and explained, “I don’t know </span>
  <em>
    <span>why. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Logically, I know she’s going to be fine. I’ve taken her out before and I’ve been fine. I don’t know why </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>makes me want to toss my cookies. I know it’s stupid—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not stupid.” Rosita scooched closer to her girlfriend and kissed her shoulder. “You can’t control how you’re feeling. If you want, you can stay home and watch movies with me and Waverly. The last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, we should go,” Wynonna decided firmly, knowing how excited Alice was. “If I don’t go, I’ll regret it and feel even worse.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita looked at her with uncertainty. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to go. Alice will be fine. There’s always next year.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to go. I’m serious, Rosie. I wanna go. And wear our costumes around the house and eat a bunch of candy. I want it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna grinned and moved so that she was sitting on top of Rosita. “I’m sure.” She pulled her t-shirt off to prove her point. “Besides, I gotta become an adventurer.” She reached for the button-down that Rosita had gotten her for her costume. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita grabbed Wynonna’s hand. “You don’t have to put the costume on </span>
  <em>
    <span>right </span>
  </em>
  <span>now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, really?” Wynonna was smirking at her, knowing exactly what was coming next. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ex-Revenant bit the corner of her bottom lip. “Really.” </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“Say cheese!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice was the only one who said it, but that was mostly because Wynonna was busy grinning from ear to ear. She was holding her daughter (who was dressed as a camel) in her arms and Rosita was laughing as Alice started slipping out of her arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you get the picture, Waves?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I took like a hundred of them,” Waverly answered, dressed as Sara Lance </span>
  <em>
    <span>again. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Wynonna didn’t want to think about what she and Nicole (also She-Ra, </span>
  <em>
    <span>again) </span>
  </em>
  <span>were going to do later that night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rachel found them in the living room wearing a huge foam french-fry costume. “Can I come with you guys?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna was a little stunned. “You want to go trick-or-treating, too?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rachel shrugged and grabbed a rainbow tote bag. “I want candy too.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice jumped up and down, apparently thrilled. “Yay! Rach!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once Alice grabbed Rachel’s hand, Rachel shouted, “Let’s hit it, Bug!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna shared an amused smile with her girlfriend. Rachel and Alice were more like siblings than anything, always able to have fun with each other. They both had very chaotic souls. They interacted like they knew each other their entire lives. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guess we gotta get going. Don’t have too much fun, you two.” Wynonna winked at her girlfriend and sister, who both glared at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna couldn’t remember trick-or-treating when she was younger. At least, she didn’t do anything for Halloween when she was young. She could remember Willa getting into a fight with their father, who refused to take them anywhere (not that he should have been driving them anywhere that drunk). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt emotional as they drove from house to house. Rachel and Alice would run up to the door, get the candy, and run back. When they were back in the truck, they’d be comparing what they had gotten and would remark about the different costumes of the other kids they had seen. She shared so many amused looks with Nicole, who seemed to just enjoy playing songs from her Halloween playlist.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song is "Halloween" by Phoebe Bridgers</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. part v</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh, baby, can’t you see</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s shining just for you</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Loneliness is over</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Dark days are through” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ten months after Rosita moved in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wynonna felt at home with her head nestled along the back of Rosita’s neck. She had her arm wrapped around Rosita’s bare stomach. Rosita always radiated heat onto her skin. Even during the coldest times of the years, she felt warm. Rosita was her sun. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ex-Revenant mumbled and rested her hand on Wynonna’s. “Morning.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How much time do you think we have?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmmm…” Rosita rolled over so that she could face her girlfriend. She smiled and started lightly tracing her finger along Wynonna’s facial features. “I’m genuinely shocked she hasn’t come in yet.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna blushed slightly at the touch (it had been over a year with her and she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>still </span>
  </em>
  <span>blushing). “Small miracles. You think she’s going to like it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>love </span>
  </em>
  <span>it,” Rosita reassured her with a kiss. “You’re such a good mom. You know that, right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita never let her forget it. On Wynonna’s darker days, she had her doubts. There were moments she didn’t get it right and there were situations she could have handled better, but Rosita never let her believe that she was fucking things up. With Rosita, she believed she was doing her best, and that it was enough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s lucky to have you, too, you know. She thinks you are the smartest person on the planet.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ex-Revenant let out a snort. “That’s because I am the smartest person on the planet. She’s very intuitive.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna grinned at her. “You’re getting a big head.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve always had a big head since I’ve always been brilliant.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna flicked her shoulder. “I’m the hottest person on the planet and I don’t flaunt it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita grinned cheekily. “Well, maybe you should. Don’t be humble, that’s what I always say. Besides. There might be a tie for hottest person on the planet.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hummed playfully. “You’re right. Nicole is right there with me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita groaned and in one motion returned to laying on her back. “If it was literally </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone </span>
  </em>
  <span>else I’d be sure you were joking.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rosie,” Wynonna poked her girlfriend’s rib. “You know I think you’re the sexiest, most gorgeous human on this planet. Other than Nicole.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She facepalmed. “You’re terrible.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you’re jealous.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita frowned. “You’re enjoying my agony.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ex-Revenant was about to say something when their bedroom door opened. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Showtime.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Alice ran into their room wearing her reindeer onesie (matching Rachel’s) and began jumping on the bed with the kind of excitement that Wynonna couldn’t remember having when she was a child on Christmas. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get up, Mama! It’s Christmas!” Alice jumped and flopped into her mother’s lap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is?” Wynonna pretended to gasp. “Rosita, did you know it was Christmas?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita shook her head, making Alice gape at her. “I had no idea. Wynonna, this is pretty bad. We </span>
  <em>
    <span>forgot </span>
  </em>
  <span>Christmas. I’m so sorry, kiddo. We forgot about gifts.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Alice just blinked at her for a few seconds and Wynonna was ready to tell her they were joking when she wrapped her small arms around Rosita. “Is okay, Rosie.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna shared an emotional look with Rosita. Before she had Alice, she thought all kids were shitheads with no conscience. She slowly learned that Alice was a sponge. She took in everything around her. She could see everyone in Alice. She definitely thought this was a Waverly moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re just messin’ with you, ladybug. Your mom and I are—” Wynonna caught herself immediately. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She just called Rosita ‘mom’ and was on the brink of starting to hyperventilate. She cleared her throat and tried to say without her voice shaking, “we’re just being silly. Go into the living room. There are lots of presents in there for you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not noticing the change in her mother’s tone, Alice bounced up and ran to the living room with Wynonna watching her go, trying her hardest not to cry or run or do any of the other shit she used to when she felt like she fucked things up. Rosita always told her that she’d be there for Alice, but she never said that she would be her parent. They never discussed that. Not fully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wynonna,” Rosita whispered and put her hand on her girlfriend’s thigh, “it’s okay. Really. Don’t worry.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She chewed her cheek. “We never talked about it. I—fuck. I don’t know what I was thinking.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita crawled out of bed so that she could get a better look at the other woman. She stood in front of the brunette and crouched down so that they could be eye-level. She pushed Wynonna’s hair behind her ears so that she could see her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, Wynonna. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Listen. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I am not angry or upset or annoyed that you said that. I know we hadn’t really talked about… </span>
  <em>
    <span>that, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but baby, it’s okay. Really. Please don’t get stuck inside that beautiful head of yours. We can have a whole long conversation about this later, but this is a day we should be celebrating. It’s going to be a </span>
  <em>
    <span>good </span>
  </em>
  <span>day.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna pulled herself out of the dark. She blinked and really saw Rosita’s brown eyes, eyes she had long since memorized. She nodded, allowing herself to not only hear what she was saying, but take it to heart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s going to be a good day.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita smiled, always the ray of sunshine. “A </span>
  <em>
    <span>great </span>
  </em>
  <span>day.” </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>packed </span>
  </em>
  <span>in the house. Completely full. The homestead was normally chaotic, but with the addition of Doc, Jeremy, Robin, and Nedley, the house was filled to the brim. They were stuffing themselves with cookies, though there were ones that were barely eaten (Waverly’s vegan and Robin’s homemade spicy), as Wynonna just continued making more and more hot chocolate. She wasn’t even mad that Jeremy was constantly taking pictures. She wanted to remember this day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat in the living room, practically all on top of each other. Wynonna was sitting on Rosita’s lap, anxiously waiting for her daughter to open her presents. Alice sat close to the tree, passing the presents to the rest of the family. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna felt slightly nervous. Getting presents for Rosita had been stressful enough, but it was different for Alice. It was her first Christmas with her. She wanted to do it all right. Coloring books, stuffed animals, books, games. She wanted her daughter to have the world. She wanted her daughter to be happy. Every time Alice unwrapped a gift (usually with Doc’s assistance), she turned to whoever got her the gift and shouted, “thank you!” and started to investigate her gift until she had to open the next one. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here you go, baby.” Rosita startled her and passed her a rectangular shaped present. “I know we said nothing big or anything like that...” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna tilted her head, a little confused that her girlfriend was being so… nervous? She started opening the present and suddenly realized that everyone was watching her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Weird. </span>
  </em>
  <span>There were two things in a box. A frame and a book. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tears fell almost instantly. It was a framed picture of her, Rosita, and Alice. They were all holding hands, sitting in a pile of leaves that Nicole had raked. They were laughing. Wynonna didn’t even remember that Waverly had taken that picture. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked up at Rosita, who nodded, allowing her to continue. She picked up the book, which she quickly realized was an album full of pictures. The first one was a picture of young Wynonna and Waverly. When Waverly was born, she remembered that no one really took any pictures. She wondered if Willa took that one. She was the only person who would have. She flipped the page. It was a picture of Wynonna on a motorcycle. She must have been sixteen or so. On the next page, she was older. Twenty-seven. Back home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pages were filled with her, Waverly, Nicole, Dolls, Doc, Jeremy, Robin, and Mercedes. She didn’t even know they had taken these many pictures. She couldn’t remember when most of them were taken. A lot of them were goofy and almost none of them were posed. Seeing pictures of her and Dolls hurt the most. The pain of his absence was always there, like an open wound. She always missed him. More than she was able to admit to anyone, even Rosita. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then the pages changed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Rosita. </span>
  </em>
  <span>There were pictures of her moving into the homestead, of her and Wynonna sleeping on a couch, of them laughing. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Alice. </span>
  </em>
  <span>There were pictures of Alice coming home, Alice running into her mother’s arms, Alice and Rosita cooking, Alice and her family. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were so many pictures. So many pictures that made Wynonna smile and laugh and cry. She never thought she’d have this. A life worth wanting to remember. She gently closed the album and pressed it to her chest, almost hugging it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay, baby?” Rosita had one hand on her back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Speechless, Wynonna nodded and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, unable to express her gratitude and love for the woman. Instead of saying anything, she grabbed the gift she got for her girlfriend, small and compact, and passed it to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita smiled softly and opened the present. When she saw what was inside, her eyes darted up, looking for Wynonna’s. She picked up the necklace inside the box and examined it closely. Very closely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wynonna, is this…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ammolite. Waves and I, we’ve been trying to figure out how you could move around freely.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Without me. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Wynonna knew what this was. A ticket to freedom. Rosita could take the necklace and run. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>that. If Rosita wanted to leave, she could. Staying with Wynonna was no longer key to her survival. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita’s eyes were glossy. She also knew what this meant. That not only Wynonna loved her enough to let her go, if Rosita wanted to, but also Wynonna </span>
  <em>
    <span>trusted </span>
  </em>
  <span>her enough to stay. Trusted her not to leave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are these…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My initials. And Alice’s.” Wynonna tried her hardest to stop crying. (She couldn’t.) “Do you… do you like it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita wiped away her tears. “It’s gorgeous. God, you’re amazing. So fucking amazing.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna kissed her. Loved her. Tried to tell her through the kiss that she would never stop loving her. Never. She wanted Rosita to know that they were a forever thing. She was never letting her go. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song is "Everlasting Light" by The Black Keys</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. part vi</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“Come and take my hand, babe</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>There’s a turn in the road that we’ve been taking</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Let it set you free</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Cause there’s a rhythm in the way that we’ve been moving</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah, there’s a darkness over there</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But we ain’t going” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One year and three months after Rosita moved in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They rarely fought. And when they did, it was mostly about stupid shit that never really mattered. Wynonna or Rosita would end up apologizing, though maybe a little reluctantly, and everything would be fine. It was always fine. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This</span>
  </em>
  <span> fight was not fine. This fight made Wynonna’s insides boil and twist like nothing else ever had. Rosita was yelling and she was yelling back. They had to go to the barn so that Alice didn’t hear. So that no one heard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She never expected this reaction. Wynonna never would have thought Rosita would get so angry with her about </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>of all things.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna and Nicole had gone out to investigate a sighting of a mysterious demon. When they noticed that this demon was holding someone captive, Nicole called for back-up while Wynonna, without listening to Nicole’s pleas for her to stop, ran into the shack where someone was being skinned alive. Wynonna killed the demon and saved the human, but got a few scratches and bumps herself, not that she really minded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she and Haught told the story of what happened to the others, she noticed Rosita becoming pale. She asked her what was wrong and she had never seen the ex-Revenant look so mad, so furious at her. Never in all their time together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were an hour into fighting. An hour of shouting back and forth. An hour of Wynonna feeling completely terrified because this never happened before. Never to this extent or degree. It made her want to cry or throw up or run for miles. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t understand why you’re so damn angry with me! I was just doing my job.” This wasn’t the first time Wynonna had said it, but she didn’t know why Rosita wasn’t listening to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doing your job?” Rosita yelled back, her hands fists and eyes daggers. “Fuck that, Wynonna! Nicole called for help. That’s your job. To get more back-up until you know it’s safe—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Say that to the person who was getting tortured.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita cursed and turned away. “I can’t believe you can’t see my perspective on this.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your perspective? You weren’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>there. </span>
  </em>
  <span>There was a person </span>
  <em>
    <span>screaming </span>
  </em>
  <span>and I’m the Heir. What else was I supposed to do?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re supposed to wait for back-up! You’re supposed to think things through! You’re supposed to remember that you’re not invincible.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna snorted, growing beyond annoyed. “I don’t think I’m invincible.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So then you know that you could have gotten hurt. More hurt. Fuck, Wynonna. You should know that you could have died. You could have fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>died </span>
  </em>
  <span>and you’re telling me that you did nothing wrong.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head. “You’re not getting it—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have a fucking hero complex, Wynonna!” Rosita shouted and turned around to finally look at her again, sobbing. “You’re a fucking hero, I get it! You’re used to saving people, even if that means sacrificing yourself. I know that’s who you are. But </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Wynonna! It’s not just you that you should be thinking about anymore. Were you even thinking about Alice? About me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna gaped at her. If she was being honest with herself, she wasn’t thinking about them at the time. She was only thinking about the person screaming, she was only thinking about saving their life. That was it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rosie…” she reached out for her, but Rosita (for the first time maybe ever) moved away from her. That was the scariest thing that had happened yet. She drew away and backed up. Wynonna didn’t know what was happening, how things had gone so wrong. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a hero. You save people. I love that about you, Wynonna. I always have and I always will. But you and your tendency to self-sacrifice </span>
  <em>
    <span>scared </span>
  </em>
  <span>me. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life terrified that when you leave to investigate demons it’ll be the last time I see you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Rosita just stared at her until she got tired of waiting for her to say something and walked away. She left. She left Wynonna shivering in the barn wishing she was different. Wishing that she hadn’t just fucked everything up. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>She was staring at the flask and the flask was staring back. Daring her to take a sip. Even if it was a small sip. Just a small sip. She wanted to take a small sip. Because how much could that hurt? She hadn’t had many urges to drink since that day before Alice came home. She kept telling herself she was in control. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop torturing yourself.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna looked up and found Nicole standing there, her hands stuffed in her pockets. The redhead looked concerned, like she wanted to say something. Her best friend just sighed and sat down on the makeshift bed that Wynonna once slept on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give it to me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna didn’t really have to think about it. She just passed her the flask and placed her head in her hands. She felt like hitting herself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hard. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She felt like she had ruined everything. She felt like her heart was collapsing. She felt… she was feeling too much. She was feeling everything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I fucked things up.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You made a mistake. We all do that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna scoffed. “You and Waverly—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have made plenty of mistakes, I promise you. She’s upset, yes. But it isn’t the end.” Nicole nudged her shoulder. “It isn’t the end, Earp.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She groaned. “It felt like an ending.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasn’t. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Wynonna, it wasn’t an ending.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna kicked at the floor. “She told me that she doesn’t want to be terrified when we investigate demonic activity. She’s afraid I’m going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>die, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Nicole.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, to be fair, I’m pissed at what you did, too. You should have waited until we got more back-up.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Someone was </span>
  <em>
    <span>screaming.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole sighed and ran her fingers through her red hair. “I know. But imagine if that was Rosita who ran in there alone, how would you feel then? The life of the Heir is a lonely life, I get that, but you don’t have to live that life anymore. You have all of us.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna shrugged. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean anyone but you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knew what Nicole was trying to say. “I don’t want to die, Nicole.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to die,” Wynonna clarified, “but if someone is going to get hurt, I’d prefer it to be me than anyone else.” She couldn’t believe she said that out loud. She didn’t even know she thought that way until she said it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Wynonna.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>You can’t save everyone. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She could hear the pity drowning in Nicole’s voice. She looked up at her and tried to find answers in her best friend’s eyes. Answers to why she was this way, why she couldn’t stop being like this, and why she was finally realizing all this shit now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to die.” Her voice cracked, but she was strong enough to say it. To mean it. “I don’t want to die.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wynonna—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to be better. I need to do better. Nicole—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I got you.” The redhead pulled her into her embrace. “I got you. I’ll keep you safe. We’ll get through this.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even though Wynonna was sobbing into her best friend’s shoulder, she believed her. She believed her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She believed her. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“She went to sleep,” Waverly informed her as she hugged her. “I talked to her. She’s mad at herself for walking away. You should go see her.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna nodded, a little numb from all the crying. She had already checked on Alice. Her daughter was already fast asleep in her room, which made her feel a little relieved. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for talking to her, Waves.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you guys,” Waverly said simply with a shrug. “It’s all going to be okay.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna smiled and tried to not start crying again. “That’s what your wife said. Speaking of, tell her I love her, okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waverly snorted. “Tell her yourself, wimp.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah. I’ll tell her one day. I’m going to sleep, okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They said goodnight to each other and then Wynonna made her way to the bedroom she shared with her girlfriend. The room was dark. Wynonna took a deep breath. This was her sanctuary, but for the first time, it didn’t feel like it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took off her clothes and ignored how much her body ached as she moved to the bed. She was extremely careful, afraid to wake Rosita up. She felt cold in her bed for the first time she could remember in a long time. She tried to hug her pillow, far from Rosita. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wynonna?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna blinked rapidly, trying to get used to the darkness, trying to find Rosita’s brown eyes. Rosita was looking at her, but instead of brown, she could see the red in her eyes. She hated that she made her cry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wynonna—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rosita—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna coughed (she was just glad it wasn’t a sob) as she sat up. “Rosie, I’m sorry.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita sat up and moved closer to her so that their eyes could be closer in the dark. “Baby—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you were right. I shouldn’t have gone in alone. I should have thought things through. Nicole—she’s going to make sure I don’t try anything stupid again. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think—”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Rosita reached out and wrapped her hands around Wynonna’s waist. “I shouldn’t have jumped all over you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you should have. I wasn’t—I didn’t realize what I was doing. I didn’t realize that I’m still pulling the same shit I was doing when there weren’t people worried I’d come home.” The truth was coming out, now, faster than she could stop it. “I want you to know that I always want to come back home to you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita kissed her gently like she understood completely. “All I want is for you to come home to me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will always come back to you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita kissed her again like they were making a promise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita kissed her again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita kissed her again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song is "Thinking of a Place" by The War on Drugs</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. part vii</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh, the night is almost over</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Take me back to your bed</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>All is on my side when you’re on my side” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One year and six months after Rosita moved in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There were balloons everywhere. Probably more balloons than people in the house (not like Wynonna was counting). She thought she would be used to the insanity of large numbers of people in her house after Christmas, but it was nothing like Alice’s 4th birthday party. Not only was the normal crew there, everyone who </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>Alice seemed to show up. Including all the friends she had made at the park where Rosita took her to almost every other day. It filled Wynonna up with love and appreciation, but also extreme anxiety. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haught, just the person I wanted to see!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The redhead glared at her as Wynonna sat down with her on the front porch, escaping from the chaos. “We’re almost out of beers. Doc’s had almost all of them.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both Wynonna and Nicole winced. Amon showed up at the homestead, which seemed to be something he had </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>discussed with Doc. The last thing Wynonna wanted was to be a part of that kind of drama. Once again, she found herself lucky to be in a very committed relationship where there were no questions about whether or not they were together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Poor asshole.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you upset he’s here?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna rolled her eyes. “No. A little pissed that they brought their drama, though.” Amon was just somebody she learned to get along with, not that it was terribly difficult after she got used to the whole ‘baby daddy kissing another person’ thing. “Rosie’s upset, though. She said, and I quote: ‘if that demon comes to my baby’s party and starts a scene I’m going to grab peacemaker and end him myself’.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole just grinned. “Your girlfriend is hilarious.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It would be hilarious if she was joking.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think I want to know how serious she is. Anyway… she considered Alice her kid? That’s big, right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was a subject that she and Rosita discussed in much detail. The ex-Revenant easily took on a parenting role for Alice. It happened naturally, or at least more naturally than Wynonna could have ever predicted. She had been referring to Rosita as her daughter’s third parent for a while now and Rosita was slowly starting doing the same. Though, neither of them really wanted to force the idea on Alice, who still referred to Rosita as ‘Rosie’ or ‘Rose’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m a lucky son of a bitch, huh?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole shrugged. “She’s a lucky one, too.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna scrunched up her nose a little self-consciously. “Maybe so.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course she is. You’re a catch.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t let my sister hear you saying that.” She tried her hardest to joke. Joking was easy. It was always easier than anything else. She knew what words were at the tip of her tongue. She knew what she wanted to say if she wasn’t careful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole snorted. “Well, it’s true. And it’s not just because of that top-shelf ass, though I’m sure it helps.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nicole?” She had been close to saying it for years. Nicole had been saying it for years and she always responded with “you too” or nothing at all. The words had been scratching at her throat, digging for emergence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s up, Earp?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m super glad you’re here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole just looked at her, searching her eyes, and smiled. “There’s no place I’d rather be.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re my best friend—the </span>
  <em>
    <span>only</span>
  </em>
  <span> best friend I’ve ever had. I love you, dude.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eww,” Nicole joked, her grin becoming even wider. “Also, you better.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna snickered, remembering saying that to the redhead a </span>
  <em>
    <span>long </span>
  </em>
  <span>time ago in reference to Nicole loving Waverly. She remembered that day with a strange fondness. It was the day she realized that her life included Nicole, not just because her sister was dating her, but because Nicole </span>
  <em>
    <span>saw </span>
  </em>
  <span>her. Just like a best friend would. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She initiated the hug. God, she felt like she was becoming soft. And dammit, she was starting to not give a fuck. She liked the way it felt. She liked the way it made her feel stronger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They pulled apart when they heard the front door open and noticed that Waverly and Rosita were staring at them like they were in trouble. Wynonna pressed her lips together, trying her hardest not to laugh at their attempt at severe looks on their faces. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know whether to be angry that you two left the party to hang out with each other or to smile at you guys for being so adorable.” Rosita was trying her hardest to frown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think we can be both,” Waverly stated and crossed her arms. “Are you two really hiding out here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t call it </span>
  <em>
    <span>hiding,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Wynonna explained with a shrug. “We needed a break.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“From the DocAmon angst?” Waverly asked. “Me too.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door opened again and Rachel gasped at them. “What the fuck are you all doing out here?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the same time, all four of them shouted, “LANGUAGE!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna cringed, hating that she sounded just like an annoying parent. It was not a good moment for her. For any of them, really. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to pretend that didn’t just happen,” Rachel commented with her hands up in the air like she was completely shocked. “I mean, from Waverly I get it. But you three?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was bad,” Wynonna agreed as the five of them entered the house and re-emerged into the chaos. Needing a little more support than normal, Wynonna’s hand found Rosita’s. She loved her daughter more than anything in the world, she could just do without the crazy parties. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“This is going to take a whole fucking year to clean up,” Wynonna sighed and collapsed onto her bed, wanting more than anything to let sleep pull her in to it’s deep slumber. “A </span>
  <em>
    <span>whole </span>
  </em>
  <span>fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>year.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita moaned, her whole body already face down on the bed. “Why does my whole body hurt? I didn’t do shit.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re old. Let’s admit it, Bustillos. We’re old people.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t accept that,” Rosita muttered under her breath as she rolled over so that Wynonna could see her face. “Just because I’m aging again does </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>mean I’m getting old.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aww,” Wynonna stated sarcastically. “It’s cute that you think you can just never get old.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna raised a suggestive eyebrow. “Make me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Baby, I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>tired.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The Heir harrumphed and rested her head on Rosita’s stomach. “How tired?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita opened her mouth to reply when their door opened, forcing her mouth shut. They both sat up as they saw their daughter’s silhouette in the dark room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, babygirl,” Wynonna said gently, a little worried why her daughter wasn’t coming into the room and was just standing there. “What’s wrong?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t sleep.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna knew that feeling well (and hoped she hadn’t passed down her horrible bouts of insomnia to her daughter). “Come here, Alice.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The four-year-old slowly maneuvered into their bedroom and hopped up on the big bed. Even in the dark Wynonna could see her tired eyes and she quickly understood that her daughter was just incredibly over-tired after a long party. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, Mama.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No apologies,” Wynonna whispered and gently hugged her kid. “Want to stay in here until you fall asleep?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice nodded rapidly as if that was what she had been hoping for. She crawled under the sheets between Wynonna and Rosita and rested her head on her Rosita’s shoulder. Wynonna bit her lip, still completely stunned that her daughter was such a sweet kid. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you tell a story?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can,” Rosita said softly, like she knew exactly what to say in the moment when Wynonna was a bit lost. Alice shifted so that she was looking at Rosita, her wide eyes hoping for a story that could make her fall asleep. “Once upon a time, there was a strong warrior who would do anything to protect her clan. She’s the toughest warrior there ever has been, Alice. She was brilliant, fierce, </span>
  <em>
    <span>gorgeous.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>She looked over at Wynonna, who had scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion. At first, she thought she was talking about Xena, but now she wasn’t so sure. “Anyway, she had a lot of weight on her shoulders. Too much on her shoulders. And when she came across a woman from a different and bad clan, it only added to her pile of stuff she had to take care of. Except, this dangerous woman from a different clan, she was just misunderstood.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice tilted her head. “Why?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because she didn’t want to be bad. She liked the warrior’s clan. And…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Alice asked her excitedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita smiled at the young kid. “And, she very much had feelings for the warrior, who was very oblivious toward these feelings. The woman slowly got closer to the warrior’s clan, so close to the clan that she would fight her own clan to help the warrior’s clan. But then, the woman did something incredibly stupid. The woman betrayed the woman. Deeply betrayed the woman. She did it to try to stay alive, but it was a very bad thing that she did.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna inhaled, realizing what Rosita was talking about. She knew exactly what she was referring to. She didn’t like to remember what had happened between them all those years ago. Forgiving Rosita was the easy part. Forgetting, she wished it was just as easy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did she do?” Alice asked, hanging onto every word that Rosita said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She ran, kid. She ran. She thought she had ruined everything. But while she ran, her clan was dying off. She had to hide so that she wouldn’t get hurt. It took almost two years for them to see each other again. The warrior needed her help to beat a different bad guy. And the woman, she thought that the warrior would never forgive her. She was sure of it. Even though she was so happy to see the warrior again, so happy to see her alive and well, she was positive that the warrior didn’t feel the same way. They even fought.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They did?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep,” Rosita answered a little sadly. “But they quickly realized that they weren’t each other’s enemies. They fought their mutual enemy and won. The warrior even forgave the woman. The only problem was, she had to remain in hiding still.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice frowned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But don’t worry, Alice. You see, the warrior, she felt bad for the woman and started to visit her, knowing how lonely she was in hiding. And you see, Alice, that was when they began to understand each other. They became friends, finally. Real friends. And slowly, very slowly, they started to fall in love.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice gasped. “They did?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They did.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice smiled and nestled her body close to Rosita’s. “Thanks, Mommy.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita’s eyes found Wynonna’s. “You’re welcome, kiddo.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Heir tried her hardest not to cry. Instead, she just mouthed the words ‘I love you’ to her girlfriend and tried to comprehend how she got so lucky. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song is "All Is On My Side" by Sam Fender</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. part viii</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW// Minor character death ahead.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“When, my, time comes around</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lay me gently in the cold dark earth</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No grave can hold my body down</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll crawl home to her” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Two years and three months after Rosita moved in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Loss.</span>
  </em>
  <span> The word tasted like iron at the tip of her tongue. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>loss. Understood the way it felt, the way it burned, the way it consumed. She felt the word rattle between her bones, forcing it to be felt. To be dealt with. It ached. Dull and sharp. Sharp and dull.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry, baby.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could hear her words, but she couldn’t compute them. She couldn’t. She couldn’t. She couldn’t. Not even while Rosita’s hand was on her back, rubbing circles, trying to help her keep it together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waverly was crying on Haught’s shoulder. Wynonna was just staring at the floor, the phone still in her shaking hands. (She thought that if she put the phone down that it would be real, finalized.) </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did she tell you, ‘Nonna? Did she tell you she was sick?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna shook her head, feeling woozy. Gus had never mentioned anything about having cancer. Gus never acted like she was sick, like she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>dying. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She never let anyone know any of it. Wynonna understood. She did. She understood her silence better than anyone. (But it still hurt that she didn’t know, that she couldn’t have helped, that she couldn’t have at least been there for her at the end.) She was here and now...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How are we gonna tell Mama?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna clenched her fists. (She was still stuck on how she was going to tell Alice.) Their mother left years ago. She didn’t know where the hell the woman was. Where she could be. She didn’t want to be found. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wynonna?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She froze. She didn’t know how she could feel so many things all at once. Her throat felt tight. Too tight. She didn’t know why she felt like she couldn’t remember how to breathe. She ran to the door, to the outside, to the </span>
  <em>
    <span>air. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna just ran. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was getting dark and cold, but her body didn’t react. She ran until her lungs burned. She ran until her legs felt like jelly. She ran until she couldn’t anymore. She felt like screaming. She felt like crying. She felt like drinking and hitting and sleeping. All at once.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wynonna Earp.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned over, at first surprised by the voice. It took her a minute to remember that if anyone could track her down, it was Doc Holliday. He was a bloodhound. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did they ask you to find me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doc took off his hat and looked down at her. “You were absent for hours. They were growin’ crazy with worry. I am so sorry, Wynonna.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna scoffed. “I’m fine. Just needed—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To know what it felt like to run away?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stared at him. Narrowed her eyes at him. Glared at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck you, Doc.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He put his hands up in the air like he was surrendering. “No judgement.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head and started to walk back toward the homestead. She was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>running away. Not from them. That was never her intention. She would never run away from them. She ran from her family once. She wasn’t going to do it again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doc had to jog slightly to keep up with her. She just walked faster. Her legs felt like they were on fire, but that didn’t matter. It didn’t. She could ignore her body. She always could if she had to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wynonna, please stop walki—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna swiftly turned around and shouted, “I have a tattoo of cherry blossoms.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doc just blinked, completely frazzled. “Alright…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ran her fingers through her hair, annoyed that she had to explain herself. “I have a tattoo of cherry blossoms. I would </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>leave her or Alice. They’re my forever.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doc blinked some more. “Wynonna—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never thought I’d never fall in love. I never thought I’d have a child. I thought I’d die alone. In a ditch somewhere, probably. I never thought I’d… wake up feeling glad I was awake. Do you hear me?” Angry tears were falling down her face. “I never want to run away. Never.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed and shook his head. “Then why, pray tell, are you out here?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gus is dead, Doc. Gus is dead and I had no idea she was dying. She was here and now she’s not.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doc nodded, like he was finally getting it. “You are worried about Rosita and Alice… about losing them.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna nodded and let out a shaky breath. “I just needed to get out of there. I just needed… to breathe. To think. I was always going to come back. Always. Sorry they made you chase after me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chasing after you? I would never mind.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She attempted at a smile, enjoying the ease of his proximity again. “You sweet talker. I bet Amon likes that. Eh?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doc chuckled a little nervously. “I think he prefers to use my mouth in a different way, if you catch my drift.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna tried to grin. “You sly dog.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Heh. Are you going to be alright, Wynonna?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was looking at her with complete sincerity as they walked back to the homestead. She licked her cracked and dry lips. Wynonna tried to muster an answer to his question in her mind, but she was emotionally and physically exhausted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She thought of her friends and family. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope so.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She thought of her daughter as they walked further. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think so.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She thought of Rosita and sighed with relief that they were close to home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will be.” </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Waverly knew Gus better than Wynonna ever did. So did Alice. When Gus and Curtis were raising Wynonna, she spent more time away from home than at home (by choice and not by choice). She and Gus were always at odds. Curtis one time confessed to her when she was young that they were too similar for their own goods. Equally stubborn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Gus raised Waverly and Alice when she wasn’t able to. And for that, Wynonna loved her. She would always feel indebted to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice was crying and more than anything in the world, Wynonna wanted to hold her daughter until her pain completely drifted away. Though she knew, better than anyone, that no one could do that. No one. People could help ease the pain, but never erase it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is she?” Alice asked, tears rolling down her cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna bit her lip. “I don’t know,” she answered honestly, knowing she could never lie to her. “But all I know is that she isn’t in pain anymore.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice nodded and squeezed her mother tighter. “I miss her.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s always with you, kiddo,” Rosita reminded her softly, looking deeply into Wynonna’s eyes as if she was trying to figure out how she was emotionally doing. “Always. Once you love someone, they stay with you. Forever. You know why?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” Alice sniffled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita smiled softly at her daughter. “Because she’s in here.” Wynonna expected Rosita to point to Alice’s heart, but instead, she pointed to Alice’s head. “You have memories of her, A. And even if you start to forget, your mom and your aunt can always help you remember.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna nodded, realizing she needed to hear that too. “She’s right, babygirl.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice wiped her own tears. “I miss her.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. Me too.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita looked at her and blinked like she understood. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>It was dark. Black, really. Wynonna felt like shit in the dark, but she spent years convincing herself that feeling was what she deserved. It was easier, now, with Rosita in her bed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cherry blossoms. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Everything she owned now smelled like cherry blossoms. She breathed into her pillow and tried to ignore the ache in her chest. Like she knew something was </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>And then it dawned on her that something </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>wrong. Rosita wasn’t in bed. She could still smell the cherry blossoms, but her cherry blossom was missing. Wynonna felt the empty space beside her and shuddered. She wrapped the fuzzy blanket around herself and got up. She walked around the house and found the woman in the kitchen leaning against cabinets, holding a large mug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Baby?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita’s eyes snapped upwards and darted into Wynonna’s like she was suddenly skittish in a way Wynonna hadn’t recognized in a long time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna shook her head. “No apologies. You know that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita gulped and nodded nervously. The Heir knew that there was something wrong. That she had never seen Rosita like this. There were small moments. Fractions of moments. Looks between moments. But nothing like </span>
  <em>
    <span>this. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“What can I do?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She just shook her head. “Nothing.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay to not be okay. Isn’t that what you always say?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita exhaled and rubbed the back of her neck. “Using my own words against me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it means that I can get you to talk, hell yeah I am. I get not wanting to talk about it. Fuck, I’m the queen of not wanting to talk about it. But we both know not talking doesn’t accomplish anything.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked down and put the mug on the counter, her hands shaking so bad she couldn’t hold it any longer. “I… I’m scared.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna tried to hold herself together. She knew that feeling. The dread. The fear. She hated that the love of her life was feeling it. She slowly walked toward her girlfriend, not wanting to touch her if she didn’t want it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita looked at Wynonna’s hand and nodded, giving her permission to touch her arm, her cheek, her waist, her neck. Rosita just wrapped her arms around her and pressed her head against her shoulder. Wynonna felt her girlfriend sob into her the blankets around her shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I got you, Rosie. I got you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She repeated the words over and over again until Rosita let the mantra puncture the layer of fear. Until she allowed herself to tell Wynonna what was wrong, how her dreams uncovered thoughts she had pushed down for a long time. Until she confessed she didn’t want to go to hell. Until she believed Wynonna’s words and trusted her love. Until she repeated Wynonna’s words back to her out loud. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>We’re not going to hell. We don’t belong there.</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song is "Work Song" by Hozier</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. part ix</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well there’s ghosts in the night and ghosts in my mind</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And if we quit changing we’ll be left behind</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But I won’t take another chance of screwing it up</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>So I stay where I am</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But all I want is to be your girl” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Two years and six months after Rosita moved in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She knew </span>
  <em>
    <span>something </span>
  </em>
  <span>was up. Everyone thought she was oblivious to everything, but she could tell by the energy in the house that there was a secret. A secret between Waverly and Nicole that was making them so wacky and uncharacteristically jittery. (If Wynonna didn’t know any better, she’d think they were on speed.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you’re that concerned, just </span>
  <em>
    <span>ask </span>
  </em>
  <span>them,” Rosita stated with the roll of her eyes as she put on her shirt. She didn’t seem to think the secret keeping was that big of a deal. Wynonna definitely disagreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not </span>
  <em>
    <span>concerned,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Wynonna corrected as she aimed her hair tie at her girlfriend and hit her, causing the woman to glare at her. “I’m just annoyed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mhmm.” Rosita picked up the hair tie and pulled her long hair into a ponytail. “Maybe they’re having a lot of good sex.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna gasped and slingshot her bra at her. “Don’t say that!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe they’re getting really freaky. Good for them.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Heir pouted. “I should have gossiped with Rachel instead.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn straight.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna narrowed her eyes at her and then gasped at the sudden realization that it was very out of character for Rosita to act so… disinterested. “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>know, </span>
  </em>
  <span>don’t you! You fucking know!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita’s eyes widened. “Fuck.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>do </span>
  </em>
  <span>know! What is it? Tell me!” Wynonna almost jumped on her back, but she moved out of the way. “Rosita Bustillos! Tell me! Tell me right now!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, they didn’t tell me, alright? The person who told me—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to kill Jeremy Chetri!” Wynonna shouted, knowing right away that it could only be Jeremy who would tell Rosita, because of their genius code, or whatever they called it. “Tell him to tell me!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita shook her head. “They didn’t tell him. He just figured it out or something. Talk to your sister and best friend. Please. Talk to them.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a seriousness to her tone that made Wynonna halt in her questioning. She knew the secret wasn’t a bad one and the only big secret she could think of would be… Her heart leaped out of her chest at the thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna put her shirt on and shouted, “I’ll be right back.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, I didn’t mean right now!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ignored Rosita’s pleas for her to wait until it was later in the morning as she charged for her sister and best friend’s bedroom. She knocked exactly once (to prove that she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying </span>
  </em>
  <span>to not interrupt) and opened the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Holy shit, Wynonna!” Nicole immediately pulled the covers up, even though they weren’t naked (which made Wynonna roll her eyes because she had seen a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot</span>
  </em>
  <span> worse). “What are you doing?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna was grinning. “Morning!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waverly shared a knowing look with Nicole. “She knows.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole shook her head playfully. “Of course she does.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna squealed and jumped on the bed, wrapping her arms around two of her favorite people on the planet. She knew that her sister had the IVF procedure (Wynonna was the first person the couple went to with the news) and how thrilled they were with the prospect of becoming parents. She couldn’t be more happy for them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You crying, Earp?” Nicole asked, her own eyes glossy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, Haught.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waverly let out a tearful chuckle. “You two. Have I mentioned how lucky I am that my wife is best friends with my sister?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure it’s a blessing? I thought it was a curse.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The younger Earp snorted, “sometimes it’s both, but usually it’s a blessing.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna grinned. “I just want you guys to know that Rosita and I are here for you both no matter what. Just like you were there for us. We got you guys. We’re here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole raised her eyebrows. “You’re turning into a sap, Earp.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, Haught.” </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Wynonna felt grumpy. Not only had Nicole somehow convinced her and Alice to go fishing (“catch and release” style) with her, they spent hours outside in the miserable cold, failing to catch a single goddamn fish. She didn’t know how her daughter was such a happy camper during the entire thing. She much would have preferred staying home and cooking or even hanging out with Rachel and her significant other in the barn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel like I smell like fish even though we didn’t catch a single thing.” Wynonna sniffed her jacket and shivered as they entered the homestead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole rolled her eyes. “Maybe they were hiding from your bad attitude.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The five-year-old just shrugged. “Maybe fish are getting smarter.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna couldn’t argue with that logic. “Good point, babes. Now go change your clothes so we can put them in the wash. Or trash.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice ran off to her bedroom as the best friends headed toward the kitchen where they could hear Waverly and Rosita chatting. Before they entered, Wynonna heard her sister say something that made Wynonna abruptly stop. She grabbed the redhead’s arm to hold her back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell, Ea—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna shushed her and pointed toward the kitchen. Nicole glared at her, obviously not happy with the idea of eavesdropping, not that Wynonna really cared what the redhead thought at the moment. She just heard her sister ask her girlfriend what she thought about having more children. She was shaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure,” Rosita replied, her voice muffled by the distance. “I mean, I don’t know if that’s something Wynonna wants. We haven’t really talked about it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole turned to look at Wynonna, her eyes wide. “We shouldn’t be doing this.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna shushed her again and tried to listen closer. Tried to not overthink Rosita’s words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You haven’t talked about it?” Waverly asked, sounding surprised. “You two are so close, though and… have you talked about marriage?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m serious, Wynonna, this isn’t a good—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna glared at Nicole to get her to stop talking. Her heart was racing. She needed to hear it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to push her into something she doesn’t want. I figured if she wanted to get married that she’d say something. It’s not important to me. Not really.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna swallowed the lump in her throat. She never really gave a shit about marriage, mostly because she thought she wasn’t capable of being a good wife, whatever that meant. Recently, with Rosita, she thought about it more and more. But she just figured if Rosita wanted to get married that </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> would say something. She wanted to bang her head against the wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She almost jumped when Nicole grabbed her hand. The redhead was looking at her with worry and care and fuck, somehow Haught could make her breathe easier with one look. She nodded and followed her into the kitchen, letting go of her hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re back!” Waverly shouted awkwardly, as if she wasn’t just talking about a heavy subject, and hugged her wife. “Dinner is almost ready. Did you guys catch anything?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole shook her head. “We caught nothing, though I think we’re more bummed than Alice.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita looked at Wynonna and raised her eyebrow. “How frustrated did you get, Wy?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only a bit, Wynonna answered vaguely and had to look away, knowing deep down that Rosita knew her better than anyone. That she would know if something was up. She didn’t want Rosita to know that she was reeling. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“What’s going on?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna jumped at the sound of Rosita’s intense voice. She had excused herself from dinner with the excuse that she couldn’t handle the fishy smell of her clothes and headed to her bedroom to have a mental crisis on her bed. It was a bad lie, but she didn’t know what else to do. She had to get out of there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She opened her mouth but Rosita had already beaten her. “And don’t say ‘nothing’. You were acting weird the second you got home. You could barely look at me and holy fuck. You heard our conversation, didn’t you?” Wynonna chewed her cheek and nodded. “Shit. Baby, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have even talked about that with your sister. I shouldn’t have—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I shouldn’t have been listening,” Wynonna interrupted, not wanting Rosita to start blaming herself for the shit she did. “You should be able to talk to her about… about anything.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita sat on the bed with her. “Do you want to talk about it? I should have asked you. I just thought…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Wynonna breathed out, knowing exactly what she meant. “Yeah.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, I’m so happy with where we are. </span>
  <em>
    <span>So </span>
  </em>
  <span>happy. I don’t need a frivolous title like ‘wife’ to prove my dedication and love to you. I never had and I never will.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna nodded, understanding exactly what she meant. “I never ever thought I would get married. Seriously. But with you… I guess I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t mind being </span>
  <em>
    <span>your </span>
  </em>
  <span>wife. I mean… I actually think that maybe… I think someday...” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita grabbed her hand, as if she knew exactly what she meant. “I wouldn’t mind being your wife either.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna inhaled and took an even deeper plunge. “And I think… I think I wouldn’t mind having more kids around.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita smiled at her, her eyes dazzling in a way that Wynonna had never seen before. “I wouldn’t mind that either.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna was in awe of her. Constantly in awe by the woman she was head over heels in love with. She didn’t know how she got this lucky. How she managed to find the one person in the world who wanted the same things she did. Who never made her do something she didn’t want to. Who let her be herself. Always. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She kissed her gently. “Sometimes I feel like this isn’t real.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why, because you’re the girl of my dreams?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna shook her head at the joke. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“That </span>
  </em>
  <span>and because you’re… I just… you’ve made me happier than I ever thought I’d ever be. I never thought I’d have this. I never thought I would deserve this. I never thought…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Rosita whispered and kissed her forehead. “I never thought I’d have it either. I’ve been around for a long time and you made me feel alive for the first time in my exhausting life. I want it all with you. I want everything.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna wiped away her tears and Rosita’s. “I want it all too. Even if that means adding another extension on the house. Thank god you’re bringing in the big bucks.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ex-Revenant laughed softly, knowing they had the same salary. “You sure you aren’t into me for the money?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s definitely the body.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita grinned. “It is?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna knew that look in her eyes, knew exactly where this conversation was heading. “Definitely.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wanna show me exactly what you like about my body?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it ethical to leave dinner for this?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita shrugged. “I don’t think they’ll mind. What do you think?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna stared at her and confessed, “I think you’re the love of my life.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a sap, baby. I’m in love with a fucking sap.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna blushed with pride. She couldn’t even deny it. She was a motherfucking sap and she didn’t give a fuck.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song is "All I Want is to be Your Girl" by Holly Miranda</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. part x</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“A deeper way to understand</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>To understand the line between</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Who you are and who I am, baby</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Cause to let you in</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Is true compromise</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Not just the friction of our skin” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Two years and eight months after Rosita moved in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re a simp.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna glared at Rachel while trying not to burn the pancake she was making. “I’m a </span>
  <em>
    <span>what </span>
  </em>
  <span>now?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nevermind,” Rachel sighed and hopped down from the kitchen counter. “You sure you want to go through with this? You can always back out.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When are you moving out again?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rachel groaned and facepalmed. “You suck, you know that right? I don’t know if I want to move in with them. It’s like, a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna snorted, knowing exactly how the young adult felt. “Well, they love you, you know? If you don’t want to move in with them, they’ll get it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When did you become so adult?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could say the same thing to you, you know. And I just want you to know, if you want to go live with Arden, you should. You go to college, you have a job. You can make your own decisions, even if Nicole tries to guilt you into staying.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rachel nodded and leaned her head on Wynonna’s shoulder. “Thanks. I do want to be around a lot when the WayHaught baby is born. But like, not overnight. I need sleep.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Besides, Arden… I really like where everything is going there.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna grinned at her. “Maybe you’re the simp, whatever the fuck that means.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up.” Rachel watched as Wynonna flipped a pancake onto the plate. “She’s going to love this, you know?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna placed the ring box next to the plate of pancakes. “I hope so. I almost proposed last night by accident after I had my third—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare finish that sentence. Just because I’m an adult does not mean I want all the gross details.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna shrugged. “Fine, loser. I love you, Smalldez. You know that, right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rachel nodded. “I know. I love you, too. Even if you’re getting less cool as the years progress.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t make me take it back, kid, ‘cause I will.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes playfully. “Yeah, yeah. I’m going to go take Alice out to breakfast. Nicole and Waverly are hiding in the barn, right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna nodded. “Hopefully. I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to watch the whole thing somehow. But thank you. Please don’t teach Alice more fake curse words. She won’t stop saying ‘fother mucker’.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s hilarious, though.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t argue with that. “Not when her teacher yells at me about it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That person has no sense of humor then. Fine, no fake curse words. We’ll be back in two hours. Text me if you need more time or something.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They exchanged goodbyes before Rachel found Alice and left. Wynonna hated the silence, hated that she was left alone with her thoughts. She tried to pay attention to the pancakes and not burning them. She felt relief when she heard Rosita walk around the rooms of the house, as if she was looking for everyone. Wynonna woke up early so that she could kick everyone out of the house and get everything ready. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took a deep breath. Rosita came into the kitchen. She had pancakes and waffles on the table. And the ring box. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning, baby. Where is everyone?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Out.” Wynonna started to shake. She didn’t know how the woman didn’t see the box on the table. She thought it was the most obvious thing in the world. Instead, Rosita was heading for the coffee that Nicole had made before she left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone? Why? Did you make breakfast? Did you making breakfast scare everyone away?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita was joking around, but Wynonna couldn’t laugh. She just sat at the table and hoped that Rosita would just turn around and fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>look. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m joking, you know.” Rosita turned around and stared at Wynonna with a quizzical look. “You okay? I didn’t mean anything by—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stopped as her eyes found the box on the table. Wynonna gulped and tried to not faint. She couldn't believe this was happening. Really happening. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that…” Rosita just stared at her, her eyes watering on the spot. “You made me pancakes and waffles.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I also got you a ring, so.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita laughed softly. “Are you going to get on one knee?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want me to?” Wynonna asked her, half serious, half joking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Baby, I always tell you when I want you to kneel.” Rosita winked at her and sat down at the table. “I want the whole shebang. The whole speech.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Of course you do. So needy.” She got up from the table so that she could get down on one knee. “Rosita…” she looked up at the woman she was prepared to love forever. “Wow, now I know what it’s like to be the short one.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up,” Rosita laughed and kicked her shin. “Now tell me how much you love me and want to marry me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, if I must,” Wynonna sighed playfully and grabbed the ring box so that she could open it for her. She took a deep breath, not wanting to fuck this up. “Rosita Bustillos, I don’t know if you know this about me, but I was not the kinda gal who thought I’d end up with one person and kids and all that shit. You changed everything for me. You taught me what it feels like to be loved, to be taken care of, to be wanted. For a long time, I felt like I didn’t deserve you or the way you made me feel, but slowly, I’ve been learning to accept it. You make me feel… like a good person. A worthy person. You are the only person who’s ever done that for me. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you, unfortunately for you. So, whaddya say, Rosie? Think you wanna take the plunge and marry the fuck outta me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita wiped her tears away. “I would marry the fuck outta you any damn day of my life, Wynonna Earp.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s good,” Wynonna said with a nervous chuckle. “Because if you didn’t want to, this would be very embarrassing.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please just kiss me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna smiled and kissed her fiancée. She felt just as much spark as she did with their first kiss, all those years ago. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, do you want the ring, or…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hell yeah I want the ring.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna grinned and took the simple ring out of the box. The ring was a thin band with small stones embedded around it, instead of a huge ass diamond that Rosita once expressed to Wynonna as being ‘ugly AF’. She placed the ring on Rosita a little awkwardly, watching as the woman tried her hardest not to laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, Wynonna,” Rosita whispered and kissed her fiancée’s hand. “I got you a ring, too.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna raised her eyebrows. “You did?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita nodded emphatically. “I was going to propose soon if you weren’t going to. I was going to do this whole song and dance and everything.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always the tone of surprise with you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna shrugged. “I guess you always surprise me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God, I love you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No matter what.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song is "Pure Love" by Hayley Williams</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. xi</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Wanna listen to my wynsita playlist that I made with the wonderful Nouf? </p><p>https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0LhXT3l6kwWLqxRA5yfJc0?si=09fXQZ6PTd-iQAFQT0Io-g</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“Nothing disappears </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Even the pain we’ve been through</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But all I need is here</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t wanna live without you</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>All we need is nothing more</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When everything simplifies</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You and I need nothing more</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Everything simplifies”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Somewhere in the future.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There were moments Wynonna woke up terrified that it was all a dream. She would wrap her fingers around the comforter and squeeze as she clenched her eyelids together, hoping that when she opened her eyes, it would all be the same. It would all be as real as when she went to sleep in the arms of her lover, her </span>
  <em>
    <span>wife.</span>
  </em>
  <span> And every time she opened her eyes and found Rosita still in her bed, she would let out a nervous sigh of relief and move closer to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Those moments, like the nightmares, happened less and less as the years progressed, but sometimes she still woke up in a cold sweat or her knuckles white from the way she held onto the sheets. She used to attribute her lessening of nightmares to being with Rosita, as if Wynonna had been broken and the ex-Revenant had fixed her up and put her together again. Now, she realized that maybe she was never broken. Not completely. A little fractured, maybe. And Rosita had only shown her where her pieces had gone, but it was Wynonna who put herself back together. Rosita just helped her realize she could help herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a never-ending process. Healing. She had good days and bad, but the bad days didn’t hurt as much as they did before. Besides, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>good </span>
  </em>
  <span>days, like this one, they made the bad ones pretty damn forgettable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mama? I can’t see.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox was frowning up at her and Wynonna could immediately tell that he was just as anxious as she was. Fox always fed on her energy. She was ready to tell one of his siblings to help him when Rosita sat down next to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can sit on my lap, Fox,” Rosita suggested with a warm smile that quickly put her son to ease.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He plopped on her lap and quickly started to doze off. Despite living with them for two years, the five-year-old was still plagued with nightmares that Wynonna figured he still didn’t quite understand. Wynonna knew what that was like. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When’s Rachel going?” Elle asked her big sister, who was reading the pamphlet that they were given when they entered the large convention building. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s going third,” Alice answered and passed the pamphlet to the seven-year-old, knowing she’d make it into a paper airplane. “So it shouldn’t be too long.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, E,” Wynonna said to the rambunctious seven-year-old, “don’t throw it, okay? We can test it when we get home.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elle nodded, only a little bummed. When Wynonna and Rosita first fostered Elle, they were told that Elle didn’t last long in homes because of her bad attitude. It didn’t take long for them to realize that Elle just needed support, space, and ways to get her energy out that didn’t include punching walls or herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my gosh, are we late?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna turned around to find her sister and best friend rushing toward them with their twins following. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you two ever late?” Wynonna joked as the four of them sat down in the same row. “It starts in five minutes. What took you all so long? Been checking out your gray hairs, Haught?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, Earp,” Haught grumbled and reached around Rosita so that she could flick her best friend. “How did you guys get here before us? You never beat us places.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone was very excited to see Rachel. I wish they got as excited about going to school, but…” Rosita sighed, “they missed her. We’re all eating out with Rach and Arden after, right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the plan,” Waverly answered and checked her watch. “Reservations are at 7:00.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good, I’m starving,” Wynonna groaned and leaned back in her chair. “I only had Nutella for lunch.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The kids eat better than her,” Rosita mumbled to Nicole, who snickered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna couldn’t deny that. “Nutella’s food of the Gods.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ambrosia,” Rosita told her and patted her knee. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Heir narrowed her eyes at her wife. “That gross fruit salad?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of correcting her or explaining any further, Rosita just stared at her wife and said, “I love you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna melted. When she was younger, she always figured that when people got married, the melting just stopped. She was glad to be proved so fucking wrong. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t let my best friend and sister hear you say that. They’ll call us ‘cute’ or something worse.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nicole grinned at her. “Whipped.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna nudged her wife. “See?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita shook her head and let out a soft chuckle. “Baby, they went to our wedding. I think they already know we’re cute. And that you’re whipped.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does ‘whipped’ mean, Mom?” Elle asked Rosita, her eyes still glued to the paper airplane. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Rosita or Wynonna could answer, Alice said, “it means Mama’s weak for Mom and will do anything she asks.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna pouted as the rest of the adults laughed. “I can’t believe this.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita leaned over and whispered into Wynonna’s ear, “I’ll make it up to you later.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately, Wynonna was all smiles again. She turned to her daughters and talked to them about what she knew about psychology from what she had learned from talking to Rachel on the phone every week since she had been in college and grad school. She knew that the symposium was for the psychology students and faculty, but other than that, she didn’t know specifics. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I want to take a psychology class when I’m older,” Alice informed her after Wynonna gave a short summary about the topic. “Did you take any psychology classes, Mama?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head a little sadly. “I didn’t. But you know what, I’m sure you can ask Rachel all about it during dinner.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to be a doctor,” Elle stated suddenly with a wild grin on her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanted to be a doctor when I was younger, too,” Wynonna told her kid, leaving out the parts about why it never happened, why her life got in the way of all the things she wanted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Elle asked, her eyes wide. “I don’t know if I want to be a people doctor or an animal doctor, though. I like animals more.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna snorted, understanding exactly what she meant. “You know what, Elle? You can be anything you set your mind to. That’s what your Mom always says and she’s right.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosita turned to look at her wife and smiled at her. “I’m always right.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes playfully. She would have told her wife something witty if the lights hadn’t gone down. The talks were starting and she felt a rush of excitement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna clapped when the first two speakers were done speaking. She was just glad that their talks were simple and easy to understand. It even made her wonder if she would have taken a psych class if she had gone to college. If she had a chance to go to school. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All those thoughts exited her mind when Rachel got onto the stage, wearing her little pantsuit that Rosita helped pick out. Seeing her up there reminded her that she had no regrets. She might not have had the chances she should have had, but she had all she needed now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good evening,” Rachel greeted the audience confidently as Rosita grabbed her hand, knowing exactly how Wynonna was feeling seeing her on the stage. “I’m Rachel Valdez and I want to start out this talk with the fact that I am here today because of the incredible women who raised me. I never thought I’d ever get to this point. I didn’t have a very normal childhood, I guess you could say. When I lost my mother, I tried to raise myself. And then, as luck would have it, I met two women that would change my life forever. Most people would consider living in a house with four women in their twenties and thirties to be dysfunctional. And sure, maybe it was sometimes when we fought over who’d do the dishes and who’d take out the trash. But it was warm and became the only place I really considered to be home. Because I had that home, I get to be here today to talk to you about developmental psychology and how we can start taking care of children for the future, so they can stand where I’m standing right now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rachel talked for about twenty minutes about what she had been learning through talking to kids, through case-studies, through her own personal experiences. Wynonna listened to every word and tried to not get too emotional. Tried not to cry in public. She was just so proud of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay, baby?” Rosita whispered and squeezed her hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wynonna looked around at her family, a family she never thought she’d ever have, and nodded. “I’m fucking fantastic.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you all for reading! Please leave a comment! :))))</p><p>The song is "Simplify" by Young the Giant!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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